The present disclosure relates to a situational awareness, adaptive automation, and decision support system used in various environments with respect to mobile systems, platforms, or entities along paths of travel. Embodiments of this disclosure include systems that facilitate improved automated and manual responses and interaction with an environment such as a vehicle in a high threat area, or a self-driving vehicle or system with program onboard vehicle equipment to respond based on sensor data received from a reconnaissance vehicle and/or data cloud related to conditions of interest along a path of travel of a vehicle or self-driving vehicle (e.g., damage to a road that impedes self-driving vehicle from operating its autopilot system, traffic conditions, radio controlled equipment that can interfere with the vehicle, etc.). Embodiments can also detect a combination of detectable conditions or entities along a path of travel by a mobile platform or entity such as a mobile inspector using an autonomous or remotely piloted system to inspect a chemical plant for personnel who are carrying unauthorized cell phones through areas that have sensitivity to electromagnetic radiation hazards such as compounds or structures that can conduct an RF signal to trigger an explosion or fire as well as systems vulnerable to electromagnetic interference (EMI). Embodiments of the invention can also assist with warning an entity or platform as it moves through an area with radio frequency related hazards by identifying structures that will or can react hazardously to the mobile platform or entity so that the mobile entity or platform can reroute or address the detected hazard combination.
Improvised explosive devices (IED) are an ever increasing threat in modern society. These types of hazardous systems are generally positioned along a likely path of travel, and activated by a remote signal when a desired target is within range of the hazardous system. An undesirable system to counter these types of weapon systems could be electronic signal jamming devices that are loaded with a static loadset prior to an operation. A loadset includes data or machine readable programming which controls the onboard equipment such as the signal jamming device or other equipment items such as an on board autopilot system. Such an undesirable system would be unable to modify or adjust the static loadset during a mission based on actual specific threats encountered while on a mission, and no information would be provided to operating personnel regarding any threats that the jammer is unable to defeat. Other systems, such as self-driving vehicles, also have shown an inability to adapt to actual environments or changing conditions which need improvements as well.
Generally, apparatus and methods are provided including an adaptive decision support and control system to obtain data associated with the environment of operation and provide the data to other systems, subsystems, and personnel. Various embodiments of the disclosure can include a system adapted to improve the safety or efficiency of systems during the operation of ground operated vehicles. Various embodiments of the invention are provided that can include an adaptive situational awareness, decision support, and automated response system operable to receive sensor data or situational awareness data for a region of interest along or in advance of a path of travel of a vehicle. Such embodiments can be configured to obtain the sensor data or situational awareness data from at least a mobile reconnaissance sensor platform. Various exemplary embodiments can include control systems such as a processor and machine readable instructions that select/execute one or more response programming or plans to operate the vehicle or one or more vehicle equipment items from a stored database or a distributive network based on matching a plans program with at least one of the sensor outputs or situational awareness data to avoid or mitigate a threat associated with the sensor output or situational awareness data.
Embodiments of the present disclosure can include an unmanned mobile reconnaissance vehicle (UMRV) (e.g., an unmanned aerial vehicle) maintaining a flight path ahead of a mobile control vehicle (MCV) searching and analyzing the frequencies of devices in the path of the MCV to locate RF emitting conditions of interest and relay this information to the MCV. This information could be used to adapt installed hardware/software, e.g., radio frequency jamming or hacking systems, to defeat a threat, or alter a mission path of travel or activity to avoid the threat.
Another embodiment of the disclosure can address one major obstacle encountered in evolution towards widespread self-driving vehicles (SDV): competition and management of a radio frequency spectrum required for these vehicles to communicate with other vehicles and their surroundings. The number of radio frequencies used to facilitate the operation of autonomous vehicles will only increase as the number of SDVs continues to rise, and there are only a finite number of frequencies available for use. This embodiment of the disclosure would allow for an UMRV to maintain a path ahead of a SDV to assess frequencies currently being used by other vehicles in order to deconflict a plurality of frequencies to avoid jamming or interference of either system's signals. Additionally, sensors on the UMRV would provide the occupants of the SDV with supplementary information regarding traffic conditions, road conditions or road hazards.
Additional features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.